Flash light



Jan. 22, 1929.

M. M. STEARNS FLASH LIGHT Filed June 27, 1927 A TTORNEY Patnted Jan. 22, 1929.

UNIT-BD STATES PATENT OFFICE.

' MERLE 1111. STEARNS, on

vnnrgnn'a, CALIFORNIA.

FLASH LIGHI.

Application filed June 27,

any direction desired, thus eliminating the heretofore necessity of holding the fiash-light t secure the desired illumination.-

I Will describe only one form of flash-light embodying my invention, and will thon pointout the novel features thereof in claims.

In the accompanying drawings;

Fig. 1 is a-view showing in side eleation and partly in section one form of flash-light embodying my invention;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary section of the fiash-light shown in Fig. 1

Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken on the line 3,-3 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a horizontal sectional view taken on the line 1-4 of Fig. 1.

'Referring specifically to the drawings in 25 which similar reference characters refer to similar parts in each of the views, my invention in its present embodiment comprises an elongated tubular casing formed of any snitable metal and exter1ofly threaded at its 30 upper end for the reception of a screw cap 16,

the latter being formed integral with a ball head 17, which may be solid or hollow as shown. At the junction of the ball head and cap an inwardly extending annular shoulder 24, which extends upwardly into the ball head p With its upper end secured to an arcuate member having its outer surface serrated to form a rack. The hall head '17 is provided with a slot spanned by an1ucuate strip 26 of insulating material suitabl secured to the ball head and provided Wit throughwhich the upper end of the arn1 24 extends. The racl25Lis secured to the 'Strip 26 so as .to be insulated from the;conducting material of which the ball head 17 is formed. A ;lamp housing 27 is mounted on the ball head 17 for pivotal movement through the 18 is provided which serves to confine a filler an opening 26?."

1927. Serial i to. 201,912.

medium of a pinor shaft 28 jourrialed in the ball head and secured at i ts opposite ends toa socket member 29, Which, in the present instance, is constructed froin the same sheet 01 metal of which the hOusing. 27 is formed. Th1s socket member conforms generally in contour to the ball head 17, and by virt1ie et 1ts mountmg is capable of being swung from the upr1ght position shown in Fig. 2 to the horizontal position shown in dot and dash lines and to thereb efi'eot lateral adjustment of the lainp housing as a whole through an arc of 90. In order that the lamp housing 1nay assume the horizontal positionthe socket 1s recessed as indicated at 30 to accommodate the ad acent portion of the screw cap 16.

The lamp housing 27 is provided with the usual Ions 31, reflector 32, and lamp 33, the latter engaging a contact 34 riveted to a cap 35 of insulating material and having a threaded base engaging within a collar 36 with the latter secured .to an outStruck portion 37 of the socket member 29. As shown in F g. 2 the cap 35 is of rectangular form'in cross section, its base being rounded for engagement with the collar 36. Movable vertically within the cap is et contact brush 38 urged downwardly by a. sprin contact 39 riveted to the cap and electricafiy connected to the contact 34. The lovver end of the brush 38 is tapered as shown in Fig. 2 for engagement with the serrations of the rack 25 and to thereby provide a latching device b which the lamp housing is releasably secure in any position of adjustment through the connection of the brush 38 with the lamp 33 and the connection of the rack 25With the cell terminal 22. It Will be clear that the rack and brush serve to conduct current from the cell to the lamp; the other side of the circuit being through the lam housing socket member 29, ball head 17 of t 1e casing 15 which is in electrical contact with the cell. Thus in any osition of adjnstment of the lamp housmg 27 current may be supplied t0 illuminate the lamp 33. It will, of course, be understood that this circuit iscontrolled by the convenexteriorly threaded to' tendency of the with a greater degree of security than is possible with the conventional circular cap. The concave bottoni permits the cap to set love] on theuneven surface of a su pdrt'and minimiz es the tendency of the casmg to tip.

In practise the lamp housing can be adjusted through an arc of 90 so as to focus the light rays to any point within the arc, it being necessary to exertsuflicient force on the lamp housin -to Overcome the latching rush 38. However, when once the adjstment is secured the brush in its coaction with the rack serves to maintain thelamp housin in adjusted position. When positioning the ash-light vertically as shown in Fig, 1, it is, of course, unnecessary to hold the flash light in the hand as it may be positioned on a substantially horizontal support, and by adjustin the lamp housing together with a circm erential adjustment of the casing, light rays can be projected in any direction des1red. Further, when the flashlight is occupying a horizontal position, the lamp housinfi can still be adjusted Iaterally to project t e light rays in any direction horizontally, any rolling tendenc of the casing being prevented by virtue 0 the hexagonal form of the bottom cap 41.

Although I have herein shown and described only one form of flash-light embodying my invention, it is to be understood that v various changes and modifications may be .made herein without de'parting from the spirit of the invention and the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

I claim as m invention:

1. A flash-hg t comprising a casing for a dry cell, a top a on the casing, a bail head on the top cap, alamp housing, a hall socket on the lamp housing pivoted on the ball head, and means for conducting current from the cell to the lamp housing, said means including a latching device for securing the ball socket in any position of adjustment and comprising an arcuate rack on the ball head and a spring-pressed pawl on the ball socket engaging the rack.

' 2. A flash light comprising a casing for a dry cell, a cap on the casin a hall head On the cap, a rack secured to the ball head and insulated therefrom, means by Which the rack is adapted to be electrically connected to the cell in the casing, a socket member pivoted on the ball head for swinging movemcnt, a spring pressed bru:sh carried by the socket member and yieldably engaging the rack, a lamp housing on the socket member, and mcans bvwhich the brush is adapted to be electricaily connectedto the lamp of said housing.

3. A flash light as embodied' in claim 2 wherein the first mentioned means comprises a conducting arm secured to the rack, a disc member within the cap, and 3. contact sesocket member secured to said pin for swinging movement'on thebaLl head, said socket member having an outstruck portion, 21 cap threaded in said portion, a spring pressed brush movable in said cap and engaging said rack to latch the socket member against movement, a lamp housin'g on the socket member, and an electrical connection between said brush and the lamp of said hous- 5. A flash-light of the dry cell type comprising a casing, a hall-head at one end of the casing having a conducting arm terminating at one end ax1ally of the casing, a contact element exterior of the ballhead and connected with said arm, and a lamp housing movably mounted on the ball head and having 3, contact element in movable engagement with the first mentioned contact element and having means to establish circuit connections with a lamp carried by the housing, the saidone end of the conducting arm adapted to be engaged directly with the pole piece of a cell contained within said casing.

6. A flash-light of the dry cell type comprising a casing, a bail head at one end of the casing having a conducting arm, a contact element on the ball head and connected to said arm, and a lamp housing movably mounted on the ball head and having'a contact 'element in movable engagement with the first mentioned contact element and having mcans to establish circuit connections with a lamp carried by the h0using, and to co-act therewith to hold the housing in a position of selected adjustment.

MERLE M. STEARN S. 

